Chapter 88 - Beauty, Brains, & Brawn

When Alvin was prepared to get angry at her, as soon as she reached him, she punched him hard and scolded him giving him no chance to speak, "You dumb-headed idiot, did you feed your brain to the sharks?" 

Alvin: "..."

She punched him again as she grumbled, "Do you have a death wish? How dare you leave me alone?..."

Although she wasn't crying, Alvin could feel she was holding back and hiding her worry. Those ten men were no big deal for him to handle. He couldn't understand what agitated her so much.

"Little Donut…" He held her hand when she tried to hit him again. Meanwhile, his other hand was still holding the man's hand behind him.

Anya pursed her lips and frowned looking at his expressionless face. How could he be so indifferent even after those men surrounded him? Only she knew how her mind ran wild with negative thoughts, picturing those men hurting Alvin. 

She commanded him angrily, "Don't leave me behind. Take me with you, wherever it might be." She wasn't a weak little girl to sit and wait. She could also fight those men if needed.

Does she even know what she was saying?

Alvin intently gazed at her for a few seconds. His attention moved when he heard the footsteps. He glanced behind her. The security men and the manager of the cruise vacation were rushing towards them.

Ignoring them, he looked back at her. He bent to her height and asked calmly, "Did I scare you?" He could only come to that deduction for her reaction.

Alvin's movements caused her to dart her eyes at the man behind him. She noticed that man desperately struggling. She stepped away to have a clear look. Alvin was crushing the man's fist which was holding a sharp knife in the hand. 

As soon as her eyes caught the red dots at the tip of the knife, she clenched her teeth, grabbed that man's curly hair, and rammed his head on the iron pole without thinking twice.

'Bang.' The man saw some star swaying a few steps back as the knife slipped his hand. 

'Thud.' He fainted.

Alvin and the other men: "..."

In disbelief, they looked at the tiny wrist, the slender arm of Anya, and the tall grown-up man lying on the floor.

Alvin smirked looking at her fierce eyes. He has seen women engaging in absurd catfights, gossiping, playing dirty. And here she is. She used to be a sweet little lamb who minded her work and was very kind at heart. Now, she didn't bother to hide that she was ruthless.

Before her wrath could change to his direction, he slowly let go of her hand and stood like a good boy.

The security men were confused about a movement. They didn't know if they should save this couple from somebody or protect everyone from the couple. A security staff member went to check on the unconscious man.

The manager who reached them saw the fierce, dominating wife with the henpecked husband. The manager coughed gently for the attention and earned a fierce glare of Anya. The manager was taken aback. 

Anya shifted her eyes on the silently standing man who was watching her. She should have made Alvin faint than that man. She wanted to breathe and relax but heard the security man speak. "There is blood on the knife."

Anya recalled Alvin had nobody in the front. So he should be hurt on his back. She asked him as she tugged his arm to turn him around, "Where are you hurt?" Her voice was cold.

Alvin didn't have to answer. She saw his stained shirt and lifted his shirt. Before she could see the wound, he turned to face her, "It's not serious."

Anya pursed her lips looking at his aloof face. She didn't know why she felt like shouting at him. Was it anger? Or worry? She clenched his teeth and diverted her gaze to the man who stiffened.

"What is going on here? It's just the second day and we are attacked again and again and he is hurt the second time. Are you all trying to get us killed?" Her words were sharp as knives, aimed at the manager.

The manager broke into a sweat. He tried to speak but what could he say? He stuttered, "Mrs. Collins, we regret…"

"Regret!?" Anya hissed, "Would you say the same thing if my… husband was killed here?" She snapped at him.

Alvin slightly frowned. Anya was scaring the manager rather than asking for an explanation. Yesterday she didn't attack the manager with the words. What changed today?

He looked at the manager who was broken in sweat unlike how confident he was yesterday. His eyes glinted sharply. The guests weren't allowed to go to the crew space, similarly, the crew or ship staff weren't allowed to step into public space or stateroom without working uniforms. Those men were walking around casually. So the person who is shielding those men is…the manager?

"Who are those men?" Anya's interrogative tone turned colder.

The manager tried to answer calmly to cool her down, "Mrs. Collins, I am really sorry…"

"Answer to my question." She didn't need his apology. She will pressure the manager to the extent, he should be afraid to plan anything against them.

The manager almost bit his tongue. He glanced at Alvin who could scare others with just his glare and the woman with her thundering words. "I- I don't know yet, Mrs. Collins. I will properly investigate this issue."

Anya didn't let him off so easily. Making the situation critical was the only effective choice she had, rather than physical fights. The brain always wins against brawn.

"Aren't you a manager? Don't you know the guests on the ship? Is this how you do your work?" She questioned his professionalism and competence.

Alvin snickered inwardly. If the manager dared to say anything that points to those men as guests, she would fry his brain. If he says, those weren't the guests, she will stomp him to the ground asking why those men were walking around freely.

If the things blow up as nonguests are walking around in the public space, all the guests will start to panic so the Captain would never take these things lights.

Alvin unthinkingly caressed her backhead, proud of how she tangles and corners the men so easily with some words. She had all three: Beauty, brains, and brawn.

Anya: "..."

She turned to him with an itching hand to twist his arm. Was she looking like his pet to caress her head? This man truly had no idea where they were. 

The manager wanted to secretly capture them, he could torture them physically. The vice-captain wanted to push some blame of his network activity on them and make them criminals. Whereas Alvin was in the mood to pet her.

Unbelievable. 

The manager uneasily looked at the fainted man wake up after sprinkling water on his face. The security staff had seen Alvin hurt so he bluntly stated, "We are taking him under custody." The security staff member said and left with the crew member.

Although that man didn't know the manager, the investigation process could slowly reach him. He needs to do something. He hurriedly reported to Anya, "Mrs. Collins, we will investigate it immediately and give you justice."

He was trying to flee when Anya spoke, "Justice?" She sniggered, "Manager Payne, get the surveillance footage and bring all those men out, including the ones who attacked us on the shopping floor. I am not going to drop this so soon." That was a threat.

The manager who thought to cook up a plan and close the case, paled. He understood she was going to question those men assuming them as guests. Well, he didn't know she already dug out their plans and identities.

He awkwardly smiled and stammered, "S-sure, Mrs. Collins." Then he quickly ran away.

After entering the elevator, his eyes widened. 'Payne?' None of the guests or the staff knew his name excluding the officers. Everyone addressed him just as a manager. How did Anya know his name? His legs became jelly without understanding what was going on.

In the passageway, Anya tugged Alvin's arm to take him to the infirmary, when the other security staff questioned them for the investigation, "Mr. and Mrs. Collins, do you have any idea why those men are targeting you two?" He paused and added, "Because it is repeating on you two only." The other guests are completely fine.

Alvin played dumb and deaf so Anya said the truth, "I guess, it's because our identity is Collins."

The security man nodded, "That makes sense." He looked at Alvin's indifferent face and his back. The shirt was stained in blood yet he couldn't see a single frown line on his face. "Mr. Collins, why did you come out to the deck?"

Anya tightened her grip on Alvin's arm so the latter cared to open his lips, "For some air."

That didn't make sense but what else could the security staff say? He asked the most important question, "Mrs. Collins, how did you know your husband was under attack?" She was running in the passageways, screaming Alvin's name thrice. They almost thought she suicide due to her jump before seeing her back on her toes.

Alvin's ear perked up. Now she will have to lie meticulously. 

Anya glanced at the security and looked ahead, "I guess you don't know what happened in the afternoon. If there was your wife, she would also be scared to see you not in the room."

The security staff member had just heard from his colleague that Alvin and Anya had just missed another accident. He thought to check the footage and ask more questions later.

Alvin looked at 'His wife.' Was she just worried by not seeing him or did she gather some information? He will have to ask later.

When they reached the infirmary, Alvin refused to go inside. "Alvin, stop acting like a child."

"I don't like hospitals." 

Anya: "..."

Zane doesn't like to step inside the hospital either. She always has to force him and he will be grumpy at her for a long time. 

Shaking off her thoughts, she tugged at him as she tried to convince him, "Nobody likes hospitals." Then she tested, "Get your wound dressed, I will make something delicious for you."

Alvin paused and looked at her. His parents never coaxed him. The businessmen try to persuade him with money or bring many women for him. The women tried to entice him with their bodies. All those failed and he was tempted for the food she was willing to make for him.

Even if she makes it awful, he wanted to try it. So he walked inside the infirmary on his own leaving her speechless. 

Her son agrees because he likes her cooking. Why did Alvin accept? She never cooked for him.

'Damn, I should have offered him candy. How am I going to cook for him?' She felt like she promised him something she can't do.. She didn't want to meet him after reaching the country.